By Christina Tran, Pharmacy Resident, Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock
As Father’s Day is right around the corner, many wonder what they should give to the special men in their lives. Will you take them out to eat at a nice restaurant? Buy them gifts? Or will you help remind them to improve their health?
Fathers do not only have a dedicated day in June to celebrate them. The entire month of June is dedicated to raising awareness of men’s health.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the rate of doctor visits for reasons such as annual examinations and preventative services were 100 percent higher for women than for men. Compared to women, men are more likely to put off routine checkups or delay seeing a doctor when they have symptoms.
Females born in 2014 can expect to live about five years longer than males born in the same year. This difference in life expectancy has not changed since 2010.
Men’s health is considered a silent health crisis because men are more likely to keep silent and wait to delay visiting a health-care professional for care compared to women. Men are dying at higher rates compared to women for diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and mental health.
As we celebrate Father’s Day, this can be an opportunity to promote and encourage men to adopt healthy living practices.
What can men do to have better health?
• Have routine checkups every year. It is pertinent to have an annual checkup every year to help identify health issues early in order to improve your health and reduce premature death and disability. Schedule one today!
• Have preventative screenings such as colonoscopy, prostate, vision, dental, and physical exams.
• Exercise! With kids being out of school and summertime coming, go outside to enjoy the sun and exercise.
• Choose healthy meals and eating lifestyles.
• For those who smoke, quit. According to the CDC, 16 percent of adult men report using cigarettes. Quitting smoking can have major benefits for health.
• Stay up to date on immunizations.
Don’t wait and put off your health any longer! Take the time this month to speak to your loved ones about taking steps to become healthier.